Drywall is perhaps the most common interior wall surface used in the world today. It is easy to work with, low-cost, and looks great when finished. During new work, drywall is easily cut with a straight blade knife prior to installation in a quick and relatively dust-free manner. However, there are many instances where new drywall must be cut around obstacles or existing drywall must be cut during remodeling operations. This is most typically done with a jigsaw or saws-all, which gets the work done, but results in a rough cut and a high amount of dust. Additionally, the blades of such tools extend beyond the rear surface of the drywall where they can contact the building structure, wiring, or plumbing with disastrous results. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which drywall can be easily cut without the disadvantages as described above. The development of the present invention fulfills this need.
Prior art in this field consists of dust abatement means that render the cutting device unwieldy. Furthermore, prior art dust abatement means either consists of a specific configuration of a dust passage to generate a vortex or an elaborate vacuum system with ducts and hoods. Only elaborate vacuum systems provide an adequate filtration system to collect small particulate matter, whereas other dust collection means are not so efficient in doing so. It is an object of this invention to provide a cutting tool to make finer and more accurate cuts by way of employing thinner cutting apparatuses and an adjustment depth means. Finer cuts result in finer particulates, which require enhanced filtration and collection systems. It is a further object of this invention to provide an effective means of collecting and trapping finer particulates. It is a further object of this invention to have a cutting device that employs both a vortex generating dust collection configuration and a forced air dust collection apparatus. The employment of these methods should not compromise the compactness and portability of the device.